[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 97 (Friday, June 7, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING MRS. LEIGH WALKER FOR A LIFE OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARK E. GREEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 7, 2024

  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a 
dedicated citizen from the greatest generation of Americans, Mrs. Leigh 
Walker.
  Mrs. Walker represents the best of patriotism and what it means to be 
an American. Eighty-three years ago, a fifteen-year-old in California 
heard a call to help her country. Pearl Harbor had been attacked, the 
United States entered the war, and women had just begun joining the war 
effort. Miss Leigh and her mother were two of the many civilians who 
reported for duty. Women across the country worked long hours and long 
weeks, including Leigh and her mother. After months of training, Miss 
Leigh became a certified welder and began working on ships in Richmond, 
California at only sixteen years old.
  The SS Red Oak Victory, a ship named for the small town in Iowa, was 
among the ships Mrs. Walker remembers working on. Built to last, this 
naval ship is still docked in Richmond today. Now no longer used for 
war, it is a testament to the skill and perseverance exemplified by 
young women during the war. Miss Leigh and many of her peers rose to 
the occasion and served their country well with strength and 
dedication.
  After the war, Leigh married Leland Walker, who was a highly skilled 
steamfitter and boilermaker. Together they moved across the country to 
Tennessee, which is still their home over 70 years later. Together, 
they raised two children: Jerry Walker, who served in the U.S. Army 
during the Vietnam War, and Marcia Chandler, an elementary school 
teacher of 46 years. Mrs. Walker and the late Mr. Walker have four 
grandchildren.
  Leigh Walker served her community in many informal ways as well. Mrs. 
Walker spent nearly twenty years helping her daughter's students with 
reading and writing. She was a reliable volunteer at the high school 
baseball games where her son-in-law coached and spent many years making 
cakes treasured by her community for various events.
  Today, she is 97 years old and still resides in Dickson County, 
Tennessee. The advice she leaves speaks to her legacy; ``Be honest, 
love your family, and always vote.''
  Leigh Walker's life is a testament to the American spirit of duty and 
service, and it is with the greatest respect that I recognize her 
today.

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